A Terrible Temptation (Fiscle Part 3), Charles Reade [good story books to read .txt] 📗
- Author: Charles Reade
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Bassett Dining There, By Mrs. Hardwicke's Invitation, Who Was One Of
Those Ninnies That Fling Guests Together With No Discrimination.
Richard Had Expected This To Happen Sooner Or Later, So He Was
Comparatively Prepared, And Bowed Stiffly To Sir Charles. Sir Charles
Stared At Him In Return. This Was Observed. People Were Uncomfortable,
Especially Mrs. Hardwicke, Whose Thoughtlessness Was To Blame For It
All.
At A Very Early Hour Sir Charles Ordered His Carriage, And Drove Home,
Instead Of Staying All Night.
Mrs. Hardwicke, Being A Fool, Must Make A Little More Mischief. She
Blubbered To Her Husband, And He Wrote Sir Charles A Remonstrance.
Sir Charles Replied That He Was The Only Person Aggrieved; Mr.
Hardwicke Ought Not To Have Invited A Blackguard To Meet _Him._
Mr. Hardwicke Replied That He Had Never Heard A Bassett Called A
Blackguard Before, And Had Seen Nothing In Mr. Bassett To Justify An
Epithet So Unusual Among Gentlemen. "And, To Be Frank With You, Sir
Charles," Said He, "I Think This Bitterness Against A Poor Gentleman,
Whose Estates You Are So Fortunate As To Possess, Is Not Consistent
With Your General Character, And Is, Indeed, Unworthy Of You."
To This Sir Charles Bassett Replied:
"Dear Mr. Hardwick--You Have Applied Some Remarks To Me Which I Will
Endeavor To Forget, As They Were Written In Entire Ignorance Of The
Truth. But If We Are To Remain Friends, I Expect You To Believe Me When
I Tell You That Mr. Richard Bassett Has Never Been Wronged By Me Or
Mine, But Has Wronged Me And Lady Bassett Deeply. He Is A Dishonorable
Scoundrel, Not Entitled To Be Received In Society; And If, After This
Assurance, You Receive Him, I Shall Never Darken Your Doors Again. So
Please Let Me Know Your Decision.
"I Remain
"Yours Truly,
"Charles Dyke Bassett."
Mr. Hardwicke Chafed Under This; But Prudence Stepped In. He Was One Of
The County Members, And Sir Charles Could Command Three Hundred Votes.
Part 3 Chapter 9 Pg 74He Wrote Back To Say He Had Received Sir Charles's Letter With Pain,
But, Of Course, He Could Not Disbelieve Him, And Therefore He Should
Invite Mr. Bassett No More Till The Matter Was Cleared.
But Mr. Hardwicke, Thus Brought To Book, Was Nettled At His Own
Meanness; So He Sent Sir Charles's Letter To Mr. Richard Bassett.
Bassett Foamed With Rage, And Wrote A Long Letter, Raving With Insults,
To Sir Charles.
He Was In The Act Of Directing It When Wheeler Called On Him. Bassett
Showed Him Sir Charles's Letter. Wheeler Read It.
"Now Read What I Say To Him In Reply."
Wheeler Read Bassett's Letter, Threw It Into The Fire, And Kept It
There With The Poker.
"Lucky I Called," Said He, Dryly. "Saved You A Thousand Pounds Or So.
You Must Not Write A Letter Without Me."
"What, Am I To Sit Still And Be Insulted? You're A Pretty Friend."
"I Am A Wise Friend. This Is A More Serious Matter Than You Seem To
Think."
"Libel?"
"Of Course. Why, If Sir Charles Had Consulted _Me,_ I Could Not Have
Dictated A Better Letter. It Closes Every Chink A Defendant In Libel
Can Creep Out By. Now Take Your Pen And Write To Mr. Hardwicke."
"Dear Sir--I Have Received Your Letter, Containing A Libel Written By
Sir Charles Bassett. My Reply Will Be Public.
"Yours Very Truly,
"Richard Bassett."
"Is That All?"
"Every Syllable. Now Mind; You Never Go To Hardwicke House Again; Sir
Charles Has Got You Banished From That House; Special Damage! There
Part 3 Chapter 9 Pg 75Never Was A Prettier Case For A Jury--The Rightful Heir Foully
Slandered By The Possessor Of His Hereditary Estates."
This Picture Excited Bassett, And He Walked About Raving With Malice,
And Longing For The Time When He Should Stand In The Witness-Box And
Denounce His Enemy.
"No, No," Said Wheeler, "Leave That To Counsel; You Must Play The Mild
Victim In The Witness-Box. Who Is The Defendant Solicitor? We Ought To
Serve The Writ On Him At Once."
"No, No; Serve It On Himself."
"What For? Much Better Proceed Like Gentlemen."
Bassett Got In A Passion At Being Contradicted In Everything. "I Tell
You," Said He, "The More I Can Irritate And Exasperate This Villain The
Better. Besides, He Slandered Me Behind My Back; And I'll Have The Writ
Served Upon Himself. I'll Do Everything I Can To Take Him Down. If A
Man Wants To Be My Lawyer He Must Enter Into My Feelings A Little."
Wheeler, To Whom He Was More Valuable Than Ever Now, Consented Somewhat
Reluctantly, And Called At Huntercombe Hall Next Day With The Writ, And
Sent In His Card.
Lady Bassett Heard Of This, And Asked If It Was Mr. Bassett's Friend.
The Butler Said He Thought It Was.
Lady Bassett Went To Sir Charles In His Study. "Oh, My Dear," Said She,
"Here Is Mr. Bassett's Lawyer."
"Well?"
"Why Does He Come Here?"
"I Don't Know."
"Don't See Him."
"Why Not?"
"I Am So Afraid Of Mr. Bassett. He Is Our Evil Genius. Let Me See This
Person Instead Of You. _May_ I?"
"Certainly Not."
"Might I See Him _First,_ Love?"
"You Will Not See Him At All."
"Charles!"
"No, Bella; I Cannot Have These Animals Talking To My Wife."
Part 3 Chapter 9 Pg 76"But, Dear Love, I Am So Full Of Forebodings. You Know, Charles, I
Don't Often Presume To Meddle; But I Am In Torture About This Man. If
You Receive Him, May I Be With You? Then We Shall Be Two To One."
"No, No," Said Sir Charles, Testily. Then, Seeing Her Beautiful Eyes
Fill At The Refusal And The Unusual Tone, He Relented. "You May Be In
Hearing If You Like. Open That Door, And Sit In The Little Room."
"Oh, Thank You!"
She Stepped Into The Room--A Very Small Sitting-Room. She Had Never
Been In It Before, And While She Was Examining It, And Thinking How She
Could Improve Its Appearance, Mr. Wheeler Was Shown Into The Study. Sir
Charles Received Him Standing, To Intimate That The Interview Must Be
Brief. This, And The Time He Had Been Kept Waiting In The Hall, Roused
Wheeler's Bile, And He Entered On His Subject More Bruskly Than He Had
Intended.
"Sir Charles Bassett, You Wrote A Letter To Mr. Hardwicke, Reflecting
On My Client, Mr. Bassett--A Most Unjustifiable Letter."
"Keep Your Opinion To Yourself, Sir. I Wrote A Letter, Calling Him What
He Is."
"No, Sir; That Letter Is A Libel."
"It Is The Truth."
"It Is A Malicious Libel, Sir; And We Shall Punish You For It. I Hereby
Serve You With This Copy Of A Writ. Damages, Five Thousand Pounds."
A Sigh From The Next Room Passed Unnoticed By The Men, For Their Voices
Were Now Raised In Anger.
"And So That Is What You Came Here For. Why Did You Not Go To My
Solicitor? You Must Be As Great A Blackguard As Your Client, To Serve
Your Paltry Writs On Me In My Own House."
"Not Blackguard Enough To Insult A Gentleman In My Own House. If You
Had Been Civil I Might Have Accommodated Matters; But Now I'll Make You
Smart--Ugh!"
Nothing Provokes A High-Spirited Man More Than A Menace. Sir Charles,
Threatened In His Wife's Hearing, Shot Out His Right Arm With
Surprising Force And Rapidity, And Knocked Wheeler Down In A Moment.
In Came Lady Bassett, With A Scream, And Saw The Attorney Lying Doubled
Up, And Sir Charles Standing Over Him, Blowing Like A Grampus With Rage
And Excitement.
But The Next Moment Be Staggered And Gasped, And She Had To Support Him
To A Seat. She Rang The Bell For Aid, Then Kneeled, And Took His
Throbbing Temples To Her Wifely Bosom.
Part 3 Chapter 9 Pg 77Wheeler Picked Himself Up, And, Seated On His Hams, Eyed The Pair With
Concentrated Fury.
"Aha! You Have Hurt Yourself More Than Me. Two Suits Against You Now
Instead Of One."
"Conduct This Person From The House," Said Lady Bassett To A Servant
Who Entered At That Moment.
"All Right, My Lady," Said Wheeler; "I'll Remind You Of That Word When
This House Belongs To Us."
Part 3 Chapter 10 Pg 78With This Bitter Reply Wheeler Retired
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